I said this to my daughter recently, that the best way to know me - my most intimate thoughts- is to go through my bookshelf and opening my books. In them she will find my favourite lines with comments next to them. I own so little. I’m a big believer in minimalism. With the exception of books. There is something about holding a physical book in my hand, flipping the pages, writing in my comments that an audiobook for example can never replace. Not very practical perhaps for someone who likes to travel and move, but books are my comfort. Some like to go to a spa, my nervous system calms down around books. I even have a fridge magnet that says “you can never have too many books” :) I’m old fashioned that way. Also, I always make a point of buying my writer friend’s books! I’ll save my money elsewhere, but never on writers and their books.
I love the feel of books, the pride that sits with me as I place them in my home. I love when guests linger close to my bookshelf then ask questions. I love selecting a bookmark to compliment my read. The feel of a book in my hand will always be cherished.
I loved this piece! As a reader, owning a book - or getting to experience it in its physical form, even if it's borrowed - is really important to me. I will occasionally read an ebook or listen to an audiobook, but only if I can't get my hands on a physical copy for some reason. Owning the stories that shaped me (I'm happy to sell/give away the ones that didn't) is a way of curating my life and my personal space. It also allows me to then share them with my loved ones.
Another thing I really value about physical books is that they give me a space to interact with the story: I can annotate them, highlight them, underline them, and those are all important parts of my reading experience as well.
Ohhhh the interaction with the physical book is such a good point. Didn't even think about that in my piece. Yes, write all over it, make notes, share it with someone else, like physically share it and have them not return it LOL it's all part of the beauty of ownership.
Bibliophile entering the chat. Understanding the value of the books is enough (for me) to commit to rescuing and collecting my people's belongings and bringing them home. In this scenario, ownership represents stewardship to me. It is my (and others') responsibility to preserve our history.
Kern, respectfully disagree. Mostly. Electronic books have too many advantages to count, such as portability on vacation, although I’m still laughing at the picture you posted reading a book on a boat full of people. As long as people read/listen the specific media doesn’t matter to me, because it broadens readership. I know someone who prefers audiobooks to reading because the narrator’s voice fills in gaps my friend has difficulty imagining. And if I can read a book on my phone during a scoreless ballgame I’ve had to pass through security to attend, so much the better.
Perhaps, you’re really arguing for keeping print books and not letting them go extinct, like 8 track tapes. I’m in favor of keeping them.
Yes, my argument is exactly your last sentence. We need to keep physical books, value them and care for them. I'm totally okay with people reading e-books and listening to audiobooks. I listen to audiobooks myself (although I have never read an e-book in its entirety). But let's not let ownership of physical books go the way of CDs and DVDs.
I love this post, and agree 100%. I think about this ALL the time. The "convenience" of things has outweighed the security of having them. You're right, the owner of these streaming sites can change whatever they want whenever they want. I lost count how many times my favorite songs disappear from my streaming play list. They "grey" them out letting you know they took them, hoping you'll take their next steps.
Just the other day I swiped my MTA subway card -- hooked to my credit card to pay for each ride-- allowing someone who didn't have money to go through. Then it prevented me from going through. I was told I had to wait 18 minutes to use the card again Why? I'm paying for it?
I also prefer tangible things --especially when it comes to books. I honestly cannot get into audio. In my line of work I'm forced to read on the Kindle. So, to me, holding a book is even more special. I spent 5 years getting one of my author's books in print after selling them to Audible First, because I know there are others like me out there who'll never listen to the audio and miss out on awesome writing and fantastic books.
I hope you finally watched "Before Sunrise", I thought those were great movies and now you've inspired me to watch them again. Good thing I have them in my DVD collection.
I love that subway card example. It's so reflective of everything I'm talking about in this piece. And I am sooooo happy that physical books are still precious for you. I think it's important to own these things, especially books.
Agreed. I just wish there were more used book stores around so I could find nostalgic favorites that got lost/loaned over the years, and discover hidden treasure that just isn’t available in the few remaining book stores or on Amazon.
Those of us who grew up only knowing books as physical objects are the ones most likely to treat them seriously. And I always have done that. I cannot do much of the historical writing I do without some access to physical objects as sources, supplementing them with digital ones only when necessary.
The online "rental" services do a great disservice to whatever it is they are selling by treating it as a commodity and not an item of culture. They do not deserve much of the success and influence they have, having gained it largely through financial enabling from wealthy sources rather than the general public. As a result, I shun using them in preference for keeping these items in analog form, and I know there are many like me whose needs are increasingly not recognized or respected by digital media.
Hmmm I don't think not being able to give physical books away is a reason not to buy them. Give them to your library, to friends, to free libraries, or even donate them. If you love physical books, find a way. We concede too much for convenience.
I've change how I think about physical books, my opinion of course.
I like the feel of a book and turning the pages and later inserting a bookmark to resume where I left off. However, I realized these days owning a physical book is a problem. Storage and buying new book shelves to accommodate the ever burgeoning new collections.
So What to do with books collected over the years?
I have so many - some are well thumbed and not read for a while. How will you get rid of them when the time comes and your family is not interested in your collection - it is very hard to sell secondhand books. I know an Author who was relocating to another State and had a ton of books he had collected over the years. He could not sell them -- even found it hard to give then away for free.
The solution is easy : electronic storage, use an eBook reader. Some have capacity to store 500 books - how convenient is that ! With non reflective surface; e-Ink type, you can read anywhere. You are carrying a library with you.
I love books, but the convenience and search capabilities; and to do annotations has made me switch to eBooks.
I know this is blasphemy for a bibliophile, but you have to plan ahead.
I said this to my daughter recently, that the best way to know me - my most intimate thoughts- is to go through my bookshelf and opening my books. In them she will find my favourite lines with comments next to them. I own so little. I’m a big believer in minimalism. With the exception of books. There is something about holding a physical book in my hand, flipping the pages, writing in my comments that an audiobook for example can never replace. Not very practical perhaps for someone who likes to travel and move, but books are my comfort. Some like to go to a spa, my nervous system calms down around books. I even have a fridge magnet that says “you can never have too many books” :) I’m old fashioned that way. Also, I always make a point of buying my writer friend’s books! I’ll save my money elsewhere, but never on writers and their books.
Knowing you through your books is so beautiful. Thanks so much for sharing that
I love the feel of books, the pride that sits with me as I place them in my home. I love when guests linger close to my bookshelf then ask questions. I love selecting a bookmark to compliment my read. The feel of a book in my hand will always be cherished.
As it should be!
I loved this piece! As a reader, owning a book - or getting to experience it in its physical form, even if it's borrowed - is really important to me. I will occasionally read an ebook or listen to an audiobook, but only if I can't get my hands on a physical copy for some reason. Owning the stories that shaped me (I'm happy to sell/give away the ones that didn't) is a way of curating my life and my personal space. It also allows me to then share them with my loved ones.
Another thing I really value about physical books is that they give me a space to interact with the story: I can annotate them, highlight them, underline them, and those are all important parts of my reading experience as well.
Ohhhh the interaction with the physical book is such a good point. Didn't even think about that in my piece. Yes, write all over it, make notes, share it with someone else, like physically share it and have them not return it LOL it's all part of the beauty of ownership.
Bibliophile entering the chat. Understanding the value of the books is enough (for me) to commit to rescuing and collecting my people's belongings and bringing them home. In this scenario, ownership represents stewardship to me. It is my (and others') responsibility to preserve our history.
Welcome friend 🧡 can't tell you how much I appreciate this perspective. I wish I included it in the piece so thank you for saying it here.
Kern, respectfully disagree. Mostly. Electronic books have too many advantages to count, such as portability on vacation, although I’m still laughing at the picture you posted reading a book on a boat full of people. As long as people read/listen the specific media doesn’t matter to me, because it broadens readership. I know someone who prefers audiobooks to reading because the narrator’s voice fills in gaps my friend has difficulty imagining. And if I can read a book on my phone during a scoreless ballgame I’ve had to pass through security to attend, so much the better.
Perhaps, you’re really arguing for keeping print books and not letting them go extinct, like 8 track tapes. I’m in favor of keeping them.
Yes, my argument is exactly your last sentence. We need to keep physical books, value them and care for them. I'm totally okay with people reading e-books and listening to audiobooks. I listen to audiobooks myself (although I have never read an e-book in its entirety). But let's not let ownership of physical books go the way of CDs and DVDs.
I have a collection of DVDs, but now no DVD player. Its weird how things change.
One thing that hasn't changed, though...my shelves upon shelves of books.
Haha keep those books piling up, Sarah! And yeah, the no DVD player thing is a bit of a shame. Things change but it doesn't mean they get better.
I love this post, and agree 100%. I think about this ALL the time. The "convenience" of things has outweighed the security of having them. You're right, the owner of these streaming sites can change whatever they want whenever they want. I lost count how many times my favorite songs disappear from my streaming play list. They "grey" them out letting you know they took them, hoping you'll take their next steps.
Just the other day I swiped my MTA subway card -- hooked to my credit card to pay for each ride-- allowing someone who didn't have money to go through. Then it prevented me from going through. I was told I had to wait 18 minutes to use the card again Why? I'm paying for it?
I also prefer tangible things --especially when it comes to books. I honestly cannot get into audio. In my line of work I'm forced to read on the Kindle. So, to me, holding a book is even more special. I spent 5 years getting one of my author's books in print after selling them to Audible First, because I know there are others like me out there who'll never listen to the audio and miss out on awesome writing and fantastic books.
I hope you finally watched "Before Sunrise", I thought those were great movies and now you've inspired me to watch them again. Good thing I have them in my DVD collection.
I love that subway card example. It's so reflective of everything I'm talking about in this piece. And I am sooooo happy that physical books are still precious for you. I think it's important to own these things, especially books.
Agreed. I just wish there were more used book stores around so I could find nostalgic favorites that got lost/loaned over the years, and discover hidden treasure that just isn’t available in the few remaining book stores or on Amazon.
Those of us who grew up only knowing books as physical objects are the ones most likely to treat them seriously. And I always have done that. I cannot do much of the historical writing I do without some access to physical objects as sources, supplementing them with digital ones only when necessary.
The online "rental" services do a great disservice to whatever it is they are selling by treating it as a commodity and not an item of culture. They do not deserve much of the success and influence they have, having gained it largely through financial enabling from wealthy sources rather than the general public. As a result, I shun using them in preference for keeping these items in analog form, and I know there are many like me whose needs are increasingly not recognized or respected by digital media.
Really well articulated, David. Nothing to add.
Hmmm I don't think not being able to give physical books away is a reason not to buy them. Give them to your library, to friends, to free libraries, or even donate them. If you love physical books, find a way. We concede too much for convenience.
I've change how I think about physical books, my opinion of course.
I like the feel of a book and turning the pages and later inserting a bookmark to resume where I left off. However, I realized these days owning a physical book is a problem. Storage and buying new book shelves to accommodate the ever burgeoning new collections.
So What to do with books collected over the years?
I have so many - some are well thumbed and not read for a while. How will you get rid of them when the time comes and your family is not interested in your collection - it is very hard to sell secondhand books. I know an Author who was relocating to another State and had a ton of books he had collected over the years. He could not sell them -- even found it hard to give then away for free.
The solution is easy : electronic storage, use an eBook reader. Some have capacity to store 500 books - how convenient is that ! With non reflective surface; e-Ink type, you can read anywhere. You are carrying a library with you.
I love books, but the convenience and search capabilities; and to do annotations has made me switch to eBooks.
I know this is blasphemy for a bibliophile, but you have to plan ahead.